A fourth new store for one of the Hudson Valley”™s most popular family food markets has kept Gaye Mallet busy.
“Is there a word that describes ”˜beyond busy?”™” asked the petite human-resources director for Adams Fairacre Farms.
With more than 1,000 employees ”“ including seasonal help ”“ and a new store in Wappingers Falls added to the grocer”™s growing business, Mallet still finds time to chair the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce while keeping up with the never-ending reminders of HR directives the company must adhere to.
“I fell into human resources indirectly,” said Mallet, walking through Adams”™ Poughkeepsie store, which began as a farm stand in 1919.
Originally a teacher, Mallet turned her attention to financial services. A fellowship that would earn her a master”™s in human resources kept her commuting from Hyde Park to Westchester.
“I worked full time and because I was at Mercy (College) on a fellowship, I was also in the graduate-assistant program,” she said. “Yes, you do survive it. It was worth every minute, but I don”™t know if I could go through it again.”
Adams offered Mallet a position with the family owned company 14 years ago, accepting it was a decision she says was the best move she ever made. “I”™ve seen Adams grow and am working with an amazing family. As a result of its growth, it”™s more important than ever to keep abreast of employment law.”
Mallet says the business is “truly like a family… They kept the doors closed on Thanksgiving Day and let employees enjoy their families”¦ and I think it”™s one of the reasons people enjoy working here. The Adams”™ just don”™t practice what they preach ”“ they are amazingly kind and generous, a great role model for all of us.”
Mallet”™s also been an advocate for the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce, which she”™s chaired for the past two years. She worked on the task force that helped consolidate the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber with the Dutchess Regional Chamber.
“It was a quick consolidation once it got started,” she said. “We began in August and were all under one roof by November. The two chamber foundations were merged together, giving it the ability to hand out more scholarship funding. The economy has made business work smarter, and the consolidation helped many companies that belonged to both. In this economy, it made good sense for members for the chambers to consolidate.”
When she”™s not up to her neck in employer-employee relations or keeping abreast of chamber events, Mallet is working on the executive committee for the Mid-Hudson Civic Center, which recently took over the defunct Ice Time in Newburgh.
“We”™ll be working on getting that reopened. Many skating leagues were left in the lurch as a result of Ice Time”™s closing. I”™m sure it is going to be a huge benefit to the community to have it open again under new management,” said Mallet. “A lot of children were displaced when it shut its doors.”
Mallet does see good things happening as a result of the economy. “We are seeing more consolidation of services and sharing of resources in our nonprofit community. Working together certainly helps to cut costs and still provide the service the community needs.”
Mallet”™s seen that consolidation come right into her faith community when the First Presbyterian Church in the city of Poughkeepsie joined with Freedom Plains Presbyterian Church.
“We just had a joint Thanksgiving service and a potluck dinner. Our choirs got together and sang. It has helped to grow a healthy respect for each others”™ faith.” And goodness knows, said Mallet, “faith and respect are something we need to hang on to, especially in this economy.”
With Adams”™ food and toy drives for the holidays, the chamber has been getting many calls for volunteers.
“And we are blessed that so many of our younger people are answering the call. When we get a request, Hudson Valley Young Professionals goes to work. They are generous with their time and talent. It”™s incredible and a standard that will only get better. Even though the economy has hurt many people, they haven”™t stopped giving. It gives all of us renewed hope that will come out of this better when things turn around.”
What does Mallet love best about her many endeavors?
“I love to see people reach their potential. It”™s great to see someone who has worked hard to achieve a goal and to reach it. There”™s nothing more satisfying, and to be a part of it, even in some small way, is very rewarding.”
